Learning to roost

When will my chicks learn to roost and stop sleeping in a pig pile getting all poopy? THey are 7 1/2 weeks now and have had exposure to a roost since day 5-6. They definitely stand on it during the day?

Quote:aHA! Maybe that's what mine are trying to learn how to do! When they go into the coop for the night they spent a good 30 minutes pushing and shoving one another around all 4 trying to fit on the same 6" section of the 4 foot long roost. They fall off, sqawk at one another, wings flap and they get all loud....then they settle down and start it all over again!

None of mine will roost either but what they will do is all 5 sit on the lip I placed at the door of the coop to keep the shaving from falling out and watch the night world go by. They're 6 weeks old, It's too cute. My husband thinks he figured out why they do this. We have an electric pole with a light on it and they can see out into the backyard. Going to have to get a picture to show you.